IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One Iowa pork plant at the center of a major coronavirus outbreak is reopening as another began testing all employees to learn the scope of their infections. Tyson Foods resumed limited operations at its pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, where more than 200 workers have become infected and at least two have died. The plant, which has about 1,400 employees, had been shut down for two weeks after reporting the outbreak.

In northern Iowa, Wright County officials reported that 16 employees at a pork processing facility run by Prestage Foods of Iowa have tested positive. Mass testing at the plant began Monday.

MAY CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — Authorities in northwestern Iowa say a Hartley man has died after a tractor he was driver rolled into a ditch on top of him. The Sioux City Journal reports that the accident happened around noon Monday, while 77-year-old Kenneth Boernsen was operating the tractor southwest of May City.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says it appeared Boernsen was transporting a section of an old loader with his loader bucket raised, when the tractor tipped over into the ditch. Boernsen was found by deputies under the tractor, and pronounced dead at the scene.

(Updated 10-a.m.) – The Griswold FFA Greenhouse will soon be open three days each week beginning Thursday, April 23rd. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said there will be many beautiful flowers, 157 hanging baskets and veggies, including tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. For the safety of everyone involved, there will be a limit as to the number of customers in the greenhouse to two people at a time. Persons entering the greenhouse must use hand sanitizer provided outside, before they enter. Customers will go through the greenhouse in a clockwise direction. The checkout stand will be set-up outside.

Henrichs said “It’s certainly not all about the money by any means, but just for perspective purposes, we have about $3,500 in product right now as far as the school’s cost. We’re hoping to recoup at least some of that anyway, and have a bigger and better greenhouse even, next year.”

More information is available on Facebook at Griswold CSD.

Contrary to some rumors circulating recently, the Cass County Fair in Atlantic is still set to take place July 22nd through the 28th. According to officials with ISU Extension in Cass County, nothing has been decided yet. Concerns over whether the Fair would go on were raised by some, over the uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the highlights of this year’s Fair include:

July 23rd – The Little Miss & Little Mister Contest; King & Queen Contest; Senior Recognition.

July 24th – Mutton Busting for the kids, and Bull Riding.

July 25th – The County Fair Church Service.

July 27th – Grand Champion Beef Selection

July 28th – The Livestock sale.

Learn more by following The Cass County Fair (IA) on Facebook.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Restaurant closures due to the coronavirus have contributed to an estimated $5 billion in losses this year for the U.S. pork industry, and almost overnight millions of hogs stacking up on farms now have little value. Some farmers have resorted to killing piglets because plunging sales mean there is no room to hold additional animals in increasingly cramped conditions. After extended trade disputes and worker shortages, this was supposed to finally be the year hog farmers hit it big with prices expected to climb amid soaring domestic and foreign demand. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is promising to send cash and buy stored pork but industry leaders say it might not be enough to stem devastating losses.

The Atlantic Parks & Recreation Dept. met Monday evening via Zoom conferencing. One of the things they discussed was the opening of the Sunnyside Pool. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen asked the Board’s opinion on whether or not it would be worth it, giving the uncertainty of the current COVID-19 directive, to fill the pool this week or next, and open it up by the middle or end of May.

Rasmussen said the pools in Minnesota are staying closed for the season. The pool he said “Is already a money losing entity in itself, and if we have a shortened season how much that is actually going to hinder us financially.” He asked if the season could be called “A wash.”

Parks Board Member Jolene Smith said the pool shouldn’t be opened, because “Iowa has not even hit the peak yet (of COVID-19), and I don’t think it’s going to bring in that much revenue toward the cost of opening it.” Board President Stuart Dusenberry asked if Bryant could work out some sort of reciprocal arrangement with the YMCA for the use of their indoor pool if it manages to re-open. Rasmussen said he can talk with Dan Haynes at the Y and see what can be worked out as a partnership.

The Board agreed to table a decision on opening Sunnyside Pool until their meeting May 18th, or until they get better guidance from the State, with regard to a relaxing of restrictions that are currently in-place.

The Atlantic Parks and Rec Board also formed a consensus with regard to use of the Sunnyside Disc Golf Course. Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry suggested the City follows recommendations by the Disc Golf Association, and limit the number of players to no more than four at a time, and, no players from out-of-state allowed to play there at this time, even though the park falls into the “Green spaces” allowances from the State.

Director Rasmussen said also, there are still restrictions on camping at the Schildberg Campground. However, there are eight persons currently placed there. Because they are extended-stay construction workers, they are considered essential service providers, and therefore it is considered their “residence.” They all have signed leases for the duration of their respective projects.

Weekend campers are not allowed at this time due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — JBS USA says it’s temporarily shutting down its big pork processing plant in southwestern Minnesota because of an outbreak of COVID-19 among workers. It’s the third plant JBS has closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the latest in a string of closures by other companies nationwide. Bob Krebs is president of JBS USA Pork.

Krebs says the Worthington plant is critical to local hog producers and the U.S. food supply and that he didn’t make the decision lightly. The plant employs more than 2,000 people and slaughters 20,000 hogs per day. JBS will continue to pay workers during the closure.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says ALL the employees of meat packing plants in Tama and Columbus Junction have been tested for COVID-19. The beef plant in Tama reopened this (Monday) morning, but the pork plant in Columbus Junction remains closed. Reynolds says all the meat processing plants in Iowa have been complying with the latest safety recommendations and she does NOT plan to issue an executive order shutting any of them down for cleaning.

Reynolds announced this morning COVID-19 outbreaks have been confirmed at two more Iowa nursing homes and 58 coronavirus patients in Iowa hospitals are in critical condition on ventilators.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa beef processing plant that was idled after a coronavirus outbreak resumed production today (Monday), one day after the state said 177 workers there have tested positive.The Iowa Premium plant in Tama, owned by National Beef, had suspended production for most of the month after the company confirmed that multiple workers had the virus.On Sunday, the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds said that 177 out of more than 500 National Beef workers have tested positive for coronavirus.

A woman who answered the phone at the plant confirmed that production had resumed. A National Beef spokesman said last week that its plan to resume production April 20 hadn’t changed. The company hasn’t responded to inquiries since then.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday, his administration is launching a $19 billion program to help farmers struggling from the coronavirus pandemic. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the program includes $16 billion in direct payments to farmers, ranchers, and producers who experienced “unprecedented losses” during the pandemic.

Perdue says the Department of Agriculture will spend another $3 billion to purchase fresh produce, dairy, and meat products that will be distributed through food bank networks.

He said also, the USDA will use six-and-a-half billion in existing Commodity Credit Corporation funds along with nineteen-point-five billion of COVID money rather than wait for the replenishment of CCC funds in July.